Ontario Supporting Francophone Entrepreneurs
The Ontario government says it is investing $500,000 over the next two years in the Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA) to help Ontario’s Francophone entrepreneurs start or grow a business. The support will allow the FGA to provide free French language business advisory services to the province’s Francophone business community.
“Ontario’s Francophone entrepreneurs and business owners are important to the economy and our government’s support reflects our targeted and responsible approach to fostering economic growth across the province,” said Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business. “This investment will enable FGA to provide Francophone entrepreneurs the tools they need to start and grow their businesses, create jobs and contribute to building a strong and resilient economy.”
The province’s support for the FGA will help broaden the influence of Francophone and bilingual businesses, stimulating job creation and unlocking new market opportunities. In partnership with Small Business Enterprise Centres (SBECs) across the province, the FGA will offer business advisory supports to Francophone entrepreneurs in their preferred language without service interruption.
“This investment in the Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario demonstrates that the Ontario government is working to help Francophone businesses thrive,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs. “Our goal is to support Francophone entrepreneurs and businesses, so they can fully contribute to the province’s economic growth.”
Small businesses play a critical role in all of Ontario’s communities and are an essential part of the province’s economy, employing over two million people. Ontario offers a range of programs and supports to help entrepreneurs start and grow new companies, including Intellectual Property Ontario, Starter Company Plus, Summer Company and tailored options, advice and business analysis through business advisory services.
Quick Facts
- Ontario government support for the FGA is to help broaden the influence of Francophone and bilingual businesses, stimulating job creation, and unlocking new market opportunities by focusing on three areas: entrepreneurship and innovation, a bilingual skilled workforce through education, training, and employability, and promoting Ontario’s Francophonie as an economic asset.
- The Ontario government’s approach to Francophone affairs is based on two complementary strategies. Together, the French Language Services Strategy and the Francophone Economic Development Strategy aim to recruit and train a bilingual, skilled workforce, and increase the availability of front-line services in French, as well as support Francophone and bilingual businesses to encourage their full participation in the province’s economic prosperity.
- In 2021, the government granted a start-up investment to support the development of an Ontario Francophone business network, now the Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA). Representing over 5,000 companies, entrepreneurs and institutional partners, the FGA is one of the three Canadian members of the Alliance des patronats francophones and one of the four founding members of the new Alliance de la francophonie économique canadienne (AFEC).
- Announced in the 2024 Ontario Budget, the government is helping an additional 500 entrepreneurs across the province start and grow a business with an added investment of $4.8 million over two years through the Starter Company Plus program.
- The Ontario government is providing an additional investment of $1.5 million over two years to bolster its Summer Company program, helping an additional 250 young people start and grow a business.
- The Digitalization Competence Centre is a $10 million investment that provides small businesses support with digital literacy, accelerating digital adoption, and enhancing technological capacity.
